112
votes
Accepted
Why does the US treat the problems of Russia and Ukraine as its own?
The 1994 Memorandum on security assurances in connection with Ukraine’s accession to the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons is an agreement between Ukraine, the Russian Federation, the ...
- 13.2k
70
votes
Accepted
Can I (a random person in the world) be prosecuted under the new Hong Kong security law?
How far applicable the law of a country is is decided by the law of that country. If other countries disagree, they can obviously decline to assist in the enforcement of those laws, and disallow the ...
- 14.1k
56
votes
Why does the US treat the problems of Russia and Ukraine as its own?
Maybe because an international order where individual parties can revoke previous treaties and behave as bullies is generally bad for peace and security
There are generic reasons why world powers ...
- 3,901
55
votes
Accepted
Can the FBI or the CIA keep things secret from the President?
Different questions here.
The President is never told everything. The various agencies produce thousands of pages of reports each day. Briefers make the decision what the President needs to be told, ...
- 113k
48
votes
Accepted
If there's something that implicates the president why is there then a national security issue? (John Dowd)
The worry here is that there is blackmail material.
It's basically the same reason why homosexuals were barred from security clearances for many years. If a foreign power finds out that you have a ...
- 90k
45
votes
How can a state governor send their National Guard units into other administrative districts?
The Governor of Virginia sent VA National Guard members to assist in handling the January 6, 2021 insurrection at the request of the Mayor of the District of Columbia. The DC Mayor was authorized to ...
- 13.2k
40
votes
Can I (a random person in the world) be prosecuted under the new Hong Kong security law?
It is quite common for countries to prosecute both actions by and against their nationals as soon as the perpetrator enters their jurisdiction. Some will also prosecute certain crimes by anyone who is ...
- 113k
39
votes
Why isn't the Republic of Ireland a member of the Five Eyes Security Alliance?
Ireland has had a policy of neutrality as far as international relations are concerned since WWII. Although this has never been formally codified in their constitution, and indeed recently such an ...
CDJB♦
- 108k
36
votes
Accepted
Is the US President prohibited from receiving clothing as a gift? Why or why not?
The US President can receive clothing as a gift. They, along with the Vice President, are pretty much the only federal employees who can accept substantial gifts, even if they come from 'prohibited ...
CDJB♦
- 108k
35
votes
Accepted
How would Ukraine joining NATO affect Russian security?
One key question is the plausibility of a preemptive, conventional or nuclear counterforce strike against the Russian nuclear force. For much of the Cold War, there was a commonly held belief that ...
- 113k
33
votes
Accepted
Is Treason the right term to describe making a secret deal with a foreign government for personal gains?
In the U.S. Constitution, Article 3 Section 3 reads:
Treason against the United States, shall consist only in levying War against them, or in adhering to their Enemies, giving them Aid and Comfort. ...
- 3,939
27
votes
Can I (a random person in the world) be prosecuted under the new Hong Kong security law?
This reflects similar situations applicable wrt other nations.
A person wanted by the US authorities flew on a Canada-Mexico flight across the US. The aircraft was instructed to land en-route in the ...
- 760
26
votes
Did Obama notify Congress (the Intelligence committees in particular) that the bin Laden raid was ongoing?
Well, Congress was notified of the impending raid, but by the CIA, and apparently without White House permission. The DOJ for example (including the AG) was not notified until after the fact. Four ...
24
votes
Why isn't the Republic of Ireland a member of the Five Eyes Security Alliance?
and sharing the same views regarding Global security.
I think this is a fundamental flaw in your viewpoint. Ireland has demonstrated a very different viewpoint from the UK and US and their primary ...
- 3,035
23
votes
How would Ukraine joining NATO affect Russian security?
The Russian heartland (Moscow, Saint Petersburg, etc) is on the famously flat European Plain. Most of Ukraine is also on that plain, and there's no natural barrier like mountains or a river along the ...
- 375
22
votes
Why does the US treat the problems of Russia and Ukraine as its own?
The argument is not a legal one. Generally speaking the US is and sees itself as the single overarching global superpower and seeks to maintain this role. This entails getting involved in the affairs ...
- 31.4k
21
votes
Can the FBI or the CIA keep things secret from the President?
The US President can ask questions of US Government employees in the executive branch, which includes the CIA and FBI. If the employee refuses to answer then the US President can't compel an answer, ...
- 311
19
votes
Can I (a random person in the world) be prosecuted under the new Hong Kong security law?
Countries do this all the time. Sometimes, they will claim universal jurisdiction for crimes they consider particularly heinous or crucial to their national security (think Julian Assange). Many ...
- 31.4k
17
votes
If there's something that implicates the president why is there then a national security issue? (John Dowd)
It's not just a blackmail issue as Brythan said. Personal secrets can compromise the president in other ways, without a direct blackmail threat. For example, a president trying to avoid the appearance ...
- 390
17
votes
Why isn't the Republic of Ireland a member of the Five Eyes Security Alliance?
FVEY developed from the second world war and the intelligence sharing between various allies during and after the war.
Ireland was not allied to the UK and the USA during the war (it remained ...
- 124k
16
votes
Why does the US treat the problems of Russia and Ukraine as its own?
The Russian approach to its dispute with Ukraine very likely involves changing borders. Whether defining new borders to carve out the two puppet states from Ukraine, or extending Russia’s border to ...
- 305
15
votes
Accepted
Why did Biden announce his visit to Israel in advance?
I'll cover your sub-question first
For context, high officials usually do not announce their state visits to conflict areas way in advance publicly due to security reasons. When Biden visited Ukraine,...
- 51.6k
12
votes
Is Treason the right term to describe making a secret deal with a foreign government for personal gains?
Treason is not the right word for this situation, unless the alleged deal involves either an effort to enlist help in a war against the US or to provide aid to enemies of the US.
Treason is one of ...
- 10.9k
12
votes
How does the US government decide which candidates are "worthy" to receive a security briefing?
NPR recently ran a piece about the process of giving intelligence briefings to major party candidates. It is actually the President who decides if, when, and to what candidates an intelligence ...
- 1,035
12
votes
Accepted
Was the President's authorization to arrest and prosecute those who destroy Federal property still active on January 6th?
President Trump did sign an Executive Order in June 2020 titled "Protecting American Monuments, Memorials, and Statues and Combating Recent Criminal Violence". (This EO was later revoked by: ...
- 46.7k
12
votes
How would Ukraine joining NATO affect Russian security?
A membership in NATO would enable Ukraine to be a country that is prosperous, democratic, and allied with the West militarily and economically. It would then serve as an example to the Russian people ...
- 12.5k
10
votes
Accepted
Are Americans allowed to use deadly force against illegal immigrants?
The United States does allow for "Citizen's Arrest" in which a citizen is allowed to detain a person for unlawful or disruptive actions, for transfer to proper law enforcement agents to handle the ...
- 16.1k
10
votes
Can the FBI or the CIA keep things secret from the President?
Of course, they can. Even the US military have secrets.
One of the brightest examples, for me, was Edgar Hoover. A man who've stayed in power from 1935 till his death in 1972 definitely had secrets ...
- 11.8k
10
votes
Why does the US treat the problems of Russia and Ukraine as its own?
Another perspective is preventing a nuclear first strike. Specifically, preventing any country (in this case Russia) from achieving a strategic positioning of missiles that might give them an ...
- 233
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